Coast Guard Releases Mayday Call In Possible Hoax

The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday released audio recordings of a distress call that could be a hoax.

A response boat from Fort Macon, along with a helicopter from Cherry Point, several fire departments and Towboat U.S. searched Sunday morning for the sinking boat with seven people onboard.

The mayday said his vessel was taking on water near the Core Creek Bridge. Nothing was ever found.

The Coast Guard released the recording with hopes someone could identify the distress caller. They believe the Marine Channel 16 call came from the vicinity of Merrimon Road.

Making a false distress call is a felony, under federal law. It is punishable by up to six years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Coast Guard is offering a reward up to $2,000 for positive identification of those involved.

Click the video player at the top of this story to hear the mayday call.

Those with information should call the CGIS Resident Agent Office at 910-772-2229, or the Sector North Carolina Operations Center at 910-343-3881.

Previous Story

Coast Guard officials say that a report of missing boaters is a possible hoax.

Officials out of Coast Guard Station Fort Macon say that they suspended search operations in the Core Creek around 12:37 Sunday afternoon, pending further developments.

It's believed the report of missing boaters could be a possible hoax. ---------------------Previous Story:

The Coast Guard, along with the Atlantic Beach Fire Department and the Morehead City Fire Department are looking for a white and blue boat near the Highway 101 bridge that goes over Core Creek.According to the Coast Guard, the call came in at 2:45 this morning. This is still an active search. Crew on the Pedro, a search and rescue helicopter, are searching by air. The Fort Macon Coast Guard along with the fire departments are searching by boat.That area of Core Creek is a narrow section of the intracoastal waterway.

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